Oblivion Remaster: The Ultimate Character Creation Guide to Forge Your Legend
Introduction
The shimmering portal to Cyrodiil beckons once more. With the impending release of the Oblivion Remaster, anticipation is reaching fever pitch. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer returning to familiar lands or a newcomer eager to experience the classic Elder Scrolls adventure for the first time, the character creation process is paramount. More than just choosing a face, it’s the cornerstone upon which your entire Oblivion experience is built, influencing everything from combat prowess to magical aptitude and even how NPCs react to you.
This guide serves as your comprehensive compass through the labyrinthine corridors of Oblivion character creation. We’ll dissect every crucial decision, empowering you with the knowledge to craft a character perfectly tailored to your desired playstyle. Whether you envision yourself as a stealthy assassin lurking in the shadows, a powerful mage commanding the elements, or a stalwart warrior charging headfirst into battle, this guide will provide the tools and insights needed to bring your vision to life. This guide is geared toward both veterans looking to refine their builds and new players embarking on their first Cyrodiil adventure, so no matter your experience level, you’ll find valuable information within.
Delving into the Foundations: Race and Class Selection
Choosing your race and class is akin to laying the foundation of a magnificent castle. These initial decisions shape your character’s inherent strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately, their destiny.
Unveiling the Races of Tamriel
Oblivion presents a diverse tapestry of races, each with its own unique attributes, abilities, and cultural heritage. Understanding these differences is critical for creating a character that aligns with your desired playstyle and roleplaying preferences.
Breton: Masters of magic resistance, Bretons boast a natural affinity for the arcane arts. Their innate resistance to spells makes them resilient against enemy mages, and their increased Magicka pool provides a significant advantage in casting spells. They are intelligent, resourceful, and excellent spellcasters.
Imperial: The diplomats and traders of Tamriel, Imperials excel in social interactions and possess a keen understanding of the world around them. Their natural charm makes them skilled negotiators, and their bonus to mercantile skill allows them to haggle for better prices. They are well-rounded and suitable for various roles.
Nord: Hardy and resilient warriors hailing from the frozen north of Skyrim, Nords are renowned for their strength and endurance. Their resistance to frost makes them impervious to the biting cold, and their berserk ability allows them to unleash devastating attacks in combat. Great melee combatants and hardy adventurers.
Redguard: Skilled swordsmen and courageous warriors from the deserts of Hammerfell, Redguards are masters of blade combat. Their adrenaline rush ability allows them to temporarily enhance their strength and stamina, making them formidable opponents in melee combat.
High Elf (Altmer): Tall and elegant, High Elves are the most magically gifted race in Tamriel. Their increased Magicka pool allows them to cast more powerful spells, and their natural affinity for magic makes them formidable spellcasters. However, they are vulnerable to magic.
Wood Elf (Bosmer): Agile and stealthy archers hailing from the forests of Valenwood, Wood Elves are masters of archery and sneak. Their proficiency with bows makes them deadly ranged combatants, and their ability to command animals allows them to summon creatures to aid them in battle.
Dark Elf (Dunmer): Resilient and versatile, Dark Elves are equally adept at magic and combat. Their resistance to fire makes them resistant to flames, and their ancestral guardian ability allows them to summon a powerful spirit to fight alongside them.
Orc (Orsimer): Fierce and powerful warriors from the mountains of Orsinium, Orcs are renowned for their strength and aggression. Their berserk ability allows them to temporarily enhance their strength and endurance, making them devastating melee combatants.
Argonian: Adaptable and resourceful, Argonians are the reptilian inhabitants of Black Marsh. Their ability to breathe underwater makes them excellent swimmers, and their resistance to poison and disease makes them resilient to environmental hazards.
Khajiit: Agile and cunning, Khajiit are the feline inhabitants of Elsweyr. Their night eye ability allows them to see in the dark, and their bonus to acrobatics makes them agile and elusive.
The Path of the Warrior, Mage, or Thief: Class Selection
Your chosen class further refines your character’s skillset and playstyle. Oblivion offers a selection of pre-defined classes, but the true freedom lies in crafting your own custom class.
Pre-Made Classes: Oblivion offers pre-designed classes that represent a balanced collection of skills and abilities, making them good choices for newer players who are unsure about which skills to prioritize. While convenient, they do not allow for the level of specialization offered by a custom class.
Custom Classes: Forging Your Own Destiny Creating a custom class allows for unparalleled control over your character’s development. It’s a crucial step for optimizing your build and maximizing your character’s potential.
Choosing Your Specialization (Combat, Magic, Stealth): Select the area you wish to excel in. This specialization will determine which skills level up most efficiently, leading to quicker overall level progression.
Selecting Your Primary Attributes: Assign two attributes that best reflect your playstyle. These attributes will receive a significant boost whenever you level up. Important to make sure you pick attributes that are used by your major skills, or the leveling of your skills will be slower.
Selecting Your Major Skills: Major skills dictate how you level up. Each time you increase ten points across your major skills, you will level up. Choose skills you plan on using often for maximum efficiency.
Tips for Balancing Your Skill Choices: Strive for a balance between combat, magic, and utility skills to ensure your character is well-rounded. This will allow you to adapt to different situations and overcome a variety of challenges.
Attributes and Skills: Weaving the Tapestry of Power
Understanding the intricacies of attributes and skills is key to building a powerful and versatile character.
Attributes: The Pillars of Strength
Strength: Affects carrying capacity, melee damage, and the effectiveness of blunt weapons.
Intelligence: Affects your Magicka pool, used for casting spells.
Willpower: Affects your resistance to magic and your Magicka regeneration rate.
Agility: Affects your chance to hit with ranged weapons, your balance, and your resistance to being staggered.
Speed: Affects your movement speed and your ability to evade attacks.
Endurance: Affects your health and your resistance to physical damage.
Personality: Affects your ability to persuade NPCs and your effectiveness in bartering.
Luck: A hidden attribute that subtly affects all aspects of your character’s performance.
Skills: The Tools of the Trade
Oblivion features a wide array of skills, each governing a specific aspect of your character’s abilities.
Skills Level Up: By using the skill. A skill you use more often will level faster.
Skill Synergy: Skills work together, so try to improve multiple skills.
Essential Skills: Blade, Blunt, Destruction, Restoration, Sneak, and Athletics are some key skills.
Birthsigns: A Touch of the Divine
Birthsigns bestow unique abilities and bonuses upon your character, further shaping their destiny. Each birthsign offers a different set of advantages, allowing you to tailor your character to your preferred playstyle. The Apprentice can be a great boon to mages, while The Warrior is helpful to players prioritizing melee combat.
Character Appearance: Crafting Your Persona
While stats and skills are important, the visual representation of your character is equally crucial for immersion. Oblivion offers a robust character customization system, allowing you to fine-tune every aspect of your character’s appearance.
The First Steps: Early Game Strategy
The early game in Oblivion can be challenging, but with the right strategy, you can overcome these initial hurdles and set your character on the path to greatness. Focus on completing quests, explore the world, and find the right resources.
A Glimpse into the Future: Remaster Speculation
The Oblivion Remaster presents an opportunity to enhance the character creation system. While concrete details remain scarce, we can speculate on potential improvements. Perhaps we’ll see expanded race customization, new class options, or rebalanced skill trees. The possibility of new races or birthsigns is always a tantalizing prospect. Regardless of the specific changes, the Oblivion Remaster promises to revitalize the character creation experience, allowing players to forge even more unique and memorable characters.
Craft Your Legend
The character creation process in Oblivion is a crucial step in shaping your adventure. By carefully considering your race, class, attributes, skills, birthsign, and appearance, you can craft a character perfectly tailored to your desired playstyle and roleplaying preferences. Experiment, explore different combinations, and most importantly, have fun.
Now, it’s your turn. Share your favorite Oblivion character builds and tips in the comments below! Let’s discuss the best ways to approach the Oblivion Remaster character creation and get everyone prepared for their return, or first venture, to Cyrodiil. With the Oblivion Remaster looming on the horizon, the time to begin planning your legendary hero is now.
